Barbara Blaine 1956-2017: the Catholic

Obituaries 35 .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. The furious boxer who inspired Raging Bull The Catholic activist Jake Jake LaMotta could "emerged as a leading middle who fought for victims LaMotta take a beating as well weight in the early 1940s," said of clergy sex abuse 1921-2011 as he could give one. The New York Times. He success For decades, Barbara Blaine The boxei; whose fully defended his title belt twice stayed silent about the sexual relentless fighting style won him the before losing it to his longtime rival abuse she had suffered as a middleweight championship belt in Sugar Ray Robinson on Feb. 14, teenager at the hands of a 1949, was knocked down only once 1951, in a fight that became Catholic priest. Then in 1985, in 106 fights, earning him a reputa known as the St. Valentine's Day the Chicago tion as one of the "toughest chins" Massacre. LaMotta endured a Barbara social worker Blaine read a news- in the sport's history. His ferocity, relentless battering from Robinson, 1956-2017 paper story both inside the ring and out, was considered by many to be the best immortalized in director about a pedo Martin pound-for-pound boxer of all time. phile priest in Louisiana and Scorsese's 1980 movie Raging Bull. When the fight was stopped in decided to confront church LaMotta personally trained Robert the 13th round, "LaMotta was a officials in her hometown of De Niro for the lead role, boxing more than bloody mess but had never hit the canvas." Toledo. They dismissed her 1,000 rounds with the actor. But the former claims and left her feeling, champ was angered when he sa~ the final film LaMotta retired from the sport for good in she said, "raked over the and its portrayal of him as a brutal, wife-beating 1954 but "had trouble adjusting to life after the coals:' Uncertain how to heal, paranoiac. "Then I realized it was true," said ring," said The Washington Post. He went to Blaine sought out other vic tims and in LaMotta. "I was a no-good bastard. I realize jail in 1957 for enabling the prostitution of a 1988 formed the minor when a 14-year-old girl was arrested in his Survivors Network of those it now. It's not the way I am now, but the way Abused by Priests (SNAP). I was then." Miami Beach nightclub. While in solitary con finement, he broke his hands punching a wall. The group today has more than 21,000 members and is Born on New York City's Lower East Side and But the release of Raging Bull rescued him from raised in the slums of the Bronx, the nation's most powerful "LaMotta obscurity, and he enjoyed a long second career on voice for abuse victims. "I ·learned to fight at an early age," said ESPN.com. the speaking circuit, "delivering one-liners, sign don't think any of us thought His fathei; a Sicilian immigrant, would force him ing autographs, and making appearances before when we started;' Blaine said into street brawls with other neighborhood chil far more people than ever attended his fights." in 2014, "that we would still dren, paying part of the family's rent with coins Without the film, "I'd be in bad shape," he said be doing it now:' thrown into the ring by spectators. LaMotta in 1997. "It made me champ all over again." Blaine was 13 when she was first abused by a priest who convinced her that she was an "evil temptress;' said The The wrestling manager who boosted bad guys Boston Globe. After attend Bobby Bobby Heenan man- wrestling under the name Pretty ing college in St. Louis, she moved ; all Heenan to Chicago, where aged some of the big- Boy Bobby Heenan and managing she headed a Catholic m gest char 1944-2017 names in profes other wrestlers. Because most of ity that helped to house r sional wrestling in the his stable were villainous "heels," the homeless. She initially 1980s and '90s: Andre the Giant, Heenan would strut around the founded SNAP in Chicago ons Ric Flaii; Ravishing Rick Rude, Big ring before and during matches, as a support group, but its d- John Studd. Known as The Brain taunting the crowd. Some fans mission soon expanded to by his fans-and Weasel by his ene took the show seriously: Over the advocacy. Members posted iy mies-Heenan drummed up atten years, Heenan "escaped thrown fliers outside churches warn ing that an abusive priest ~s tion for his clients by trash-talking chairs and attempted knifings and s to anyone and everything: his wrestlers' was inside; victims held vigils at least one shooting." But he had holding the photos of themselves opponents, their fans, the towns to step back from the ring in 1983, as children when they were etty where the matches took place. said Deadspin.com, after his neck first abused. "Have you ever been to Glens Falls, N.Y.?" he was broken by a Japanese wrestler's "errant knee That activism, together once said. "The city limits signs are on the same drop with from the top rope:" revelations of massive church post." Hulk Hogan's followers, he declared, were Following the injury, Heenan became an on cover-ups in Boston and else the kind of people who "wear a brown sock and e camera commentator in addition to his managing where, eventually led U.S. a white sock and got a pair at home just like bishops to pledge to remove nt duties, said The New York Times. He formed a them." Heenan's ringside banter made him one all alleged abusers, said The memorable 1V partnership with former of the most reviled, and populai; figures in the wrestler New York Times. But SNAP Gorilla Monsoon, and the pair often debated business. "I'm a legend in this sport,'' he said. "If accused the church of failing in-ring tactics .. After Monsoon accused you don't believe me, ask me." one of to keep those promises, so Heenan's wrestlers of performing an illegal move, Blaine kept campaigning. 116 Born in Chicago to a railroad worker father Heenan protested that "it was a legal move, it Following her death, her The and a hotel manager mother, Heenan "became was a Greco-Roman Hair Pull!" Diagnosed with husband, Howard Rubin, , the enamored of wrestling as a child," said The throat cancer in 2002, Heenan was inducted into said he was inundated with messages from survivors. lC w Washington Post. He dropped out of eighth the WWE Hall of Fame two years later. It was an "I'm.hearing from ~ grade to work at wrestling venues; when a per- honoi; he said at the ceremony, to have people;' he brought said, "who are saying, 'She ~ former ur didn't show up one day, he put on a mask his comedy "into a business that I often thought saved my life."' j and entered the ring. By the mid-'60s he was needed a kick in the pants and a couple of smiles." THE WEEK October 6, 2017 .

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